Influence of Different Etchants on the Representation of Microstructures in Nickel Alloys

Abstract This work presents a comparison of selected nickel alloys of the same condition which were treated by means of specifically chosen etching techniques. Microstructures on microscope images of wrought Alloy 617, a casting variant of Alloy 625, a polycrystalline casting alloy IN-738 LC, as well as of a monocrystalline superalloy CM 247 LC SX, respectively, are juxtaposed and evaluated. This approach allows for a comprehensive optical microscopy characterization of the characteristic microstructural features.